The 2007 Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories was my first introduction to many of my genea-blogger friends. I especially remember meeting Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family and Jasia of Creative Gene who together originated the 2007 Advent Calendar.

This year, many more Genea-bloggers are participating in 2009's Advent Calendar. There's a post over at the Geneabloggers website explaining this year's Advent Calendar. Included is a schedule of topic prompts. You can post only once or participate in every one, or even link to your 2007 posts, if you're an oldie like myself, as most of the prompts are the same. Jasia, I read, is thinking of making her posts into a book - great idea!

It's not too late to add yourself to the Advent Calendar.

Today is a Grab Bag day - author's choice - and since something Christmassy (and very funny!) happened today, I wanted to join in.

Now, one of the Advent Calendar topic prompts is "Fruitcake – Friend or Foe?" Here's my 2007 post for this topic: "Fruitcake - Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories". Oddly, perhaps, I didn't talk much about fruitcake - only that I LOVE IT!, my kids don't, and that I also love Christmas pudding (which I did talk about. I even included my grandma Sarah's recipe).

I've bought my Christmas pudding already for this year. Please, please, don't faint dead away at the idea of store-bought Christmas pudding. There's only me to eat it, after all, and this is a Crosse and Blackwell Brandied pudding - I think it will be good enough, at least with lots of sauce (and perhaps a tad more brandy?)

But as yet I have no Christmas fruitcake. For me, somehow a fruitcake needs to be home made. (I do have a friend who makes amazing Christmas cakes but, if she's been baking, she's not shared any recently.)

But, what?!

To my surprise, the postman today delivered a big box from my daughter, who won't be 'home' for Christmas this year.

And on the big box was a big note:

Hi, Mama ,

You are going to need to open this box before Christmas, although not the presents!There is one thing that you will need to take out right away! Not wrapped, should be obvious :)Please be warned: If one little piece does NOT taste good...please discard immediately :)... I tried... ha!

Love me!

Now my daughter has a history of funny presents. One year she gave me purple wool and knitting needles - that's a story for another day - but this year? Well, I did open the box (a bit cautiously), I shook and prodded all the wrapped presents - there was one that rattled - wonder what that is? But I know you want to know what else was in that box.......

....

.....

......

.......

........

.........

..........

...........

YES, indeed, it's a fruitcake - made by my own daughter - who hates fruitcake, but loves me!

If there were to be a future prompt for the most surprising Christmas gift, or the most-likely-to-be-forever-remembered Christmas gift, this post belongs there.